Pros advice

Turkish Airlines Open: Bad Weather Halts Inaugural Event

As thunder pealed overhead and lightning struck the Turkish skies, the opening day of the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya was forced into a lengthy delay.

The Montgomerie Maxx Royal stood drenched and vacated as heavy rainfall drenched the lush greenery and storms rumbled aggressively around the surrounding area.

The bad turn in weather leaves the prospect of the opening round of the inaugural event being carried over to Friday, with the delay now expected to reach at least four hours by the time the course is fit for play again.

Mike McClellan, who is the European Tour’s resident meteorologist, said: "At 8am (local), showers and thunderstorms were moving south to north off the sea as low-pressure centered over NW Egypt continues to move to the SE away from us.

"Therefore, morning showers and thunderstorms will gradually diminish and clouds will decrease later this afternoon. Friday through Sunday look sunny and warm across the Belek area."

The Turkish Airlines Open is the third leg of the Final Series and marks the European Tour’s first venture into Turkey.

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